This special issue of Biodiversity is being produced in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other partners. Copies of this issue will be sent to the 9th Convention of the Parties (COP-9) in Bonn Germany, 19-30 May, and will be featured at the International Biodiversity Day celebrations, 22 May 2008. Biodiversity is offering an opportunity in this unique special issue for potential funding supporters to gain recognition (advertising, logo display, etc.) for their biodiversity-related activities. Over 90 abstracts were received in response to the call for papers of which 30 were chosen for final review.

SPECIAL BOARD OF EDITORS (SBOE)
Ainsworth, David - Programme Officer, Outreach and Major Groups Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Aitken, Stephen - Managing Editor. Biodiversity
Catling, Paul - Biodiversity, National Program on Environmental Health, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Dang, P.T. - SBOE Chair; President of Tropical Conservancy; Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada
Douglas, Hume – Entomology, Ontario Plant Laboratories, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Fraleigh, Brad – Director, Intergovernmental Relations, AAFC
Hall, Peter – Biodiversity Publication Committee Chair; Senior Advisor, Biodiversity, AAFC
Parker, Doug – Head, Entomology, Ontario Plant Laboratories, CFIA
Pratt, Neil - Senior Outreach Manager, Secretariat of the CBD
Small, Ernie - Biodiversity, National Program on Environmental Health, AAFC
The following topics will be addressed:
Partial support has been received from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) and in-kind assistance from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

BIODIVERSITY BACKGROUNDER

BIODIVERSITY PERSONNEL
Assistant Editor
Vockeroth, Richard D. Phil., AAFC
Book Review Editor
Hamilton, Andrew, Ph.D., AAFC
News Editor
de Belle, Don
Editorial Submissions
Aitken, Stephen, aitken@tc-biodiversity.org
Subscriptions-
Trinh T.D., trinhtd@tc-biodiversity.org

ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Badola, Hemant K., D.Phil. Dept. Of Environment, India
Catling, Paul, Ph.D. Botany, AAFC, Canada
Herity, John, Biodiversity, IUCN Canada
Lambert, John, Ph.D. Medicinal Plants, World Bank
Mosquin, Ted, Ph.D. Botany, Canada
Pisupati, Balakrishna, Ph.D. UNEP, Nairobi
Sastraprajda, Setijati D., Ph.D. Botany, Indonesia
Smith, Ian, Ph.D. Freshwater Arthropods, Canada
Bocharnikov, Vladimir, Russia.

- a peer-reviewed scientific journal for scientists, teachers, researchers, students, naturalists, policy makers and all those who are interested in the conservation and protection of the Earth’s living resources.
- occupying a singular niche, with research papers and articles on biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development by scientists from around the world, Biodiversity is written in a manner that is accessible by both scientists and concerned lay readers.
- Maurice Strong, the General-Secretary of the first CBD held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 1991, serves as a Patron.
- published quarterly, distributed worldwide and indexed by Biosis, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, Environment Abstracts and Zoological Record.
- an international subscriber base.

Tropical Conservancy, publisher of Biodiversity, is a registered charity based in Ottawa Canada (Charity’s Business Number: 89518 7763 RR0001). Biodiversity is a peer-reviewed, scientific journal. The first issue was published in the year 2000.

Previous Collaborations: Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Environment Canada; Biodiversity Convention Office (BCO), Environment Canada; Canadian Museum of Nature (CMN); Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), Environment Canada; Centre for Traditional Knowledge - Community of Kitigan Zibi Anishenabeg Maniwaki; Consilium; Institute of Ethnobotany, Hawaii; NatureServe; University of Ottawa (Ontario); University of Guelph (Ontario); The World Conservation Union (IUCN); Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Special Issues of Biodiversity
2002 - Indigenous peoples’ perspectives on biodiversity and their continuing contributions to the sustainable care of Earth. Published in English, French and Spanish - 1500 copies were distributed to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sept. 2002.
2003 – The Diversity of Flies (Diptera) dedicated to the 2003 Diptera Congress in Brisbane, Australia.
2005 - Conserving the World’s Birds includes articles on national and international conservation efforts.
2006 - Viruses: How much do we know? features articles on the diversity of viruses, including the Avian Influenza Virus H5N1.

Tropical Conservancy, 94 Four Seasons Drive, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K2E 7S1; www.tc-biodiversity.org; Tel: 613-224-9518 email: admin@tc-biodiversity.org